Proposal Panic
by Destiny45
Summary: Sen is about to ask Umeko to marry him on Valentine’s Day, but the ring goes missing! Can Hoji, Jasmine and Tetsu help Sen find it in time?


Disclaimer: Neither Sentai, Power Rangers, "The Bachelor" or "Sister, Sister" (which an episode inspired this story) belong to me.

A/N: This story arose out of a Sentai fan fiction challenge from Etapa, who wanted me to write a Sen/Umeko story centering around Valentine's Day. The title for this story is inspired by my favorite Dekaranger episode, which happens to be the big Sen/Umeko romance one! Hope y'all enjoy, and Happy Valentine's Day!

Proposal Panic

_(Set after the Dekaranger series ends and after Ban has left for the Fire Squad) _

"I… am… getting… engaged todayyyy!" sang Umeko in the bathtub to her rubber duckies. "I… am… getting… engaged todayyyy!"

"WHAT?!?!" Umeko heard a surprised male scream seconds before the door swung open.

"AHHHHH, TETSU!!!" cried Umeko in horror, even though her body was fully covered by the bubble bath. "Get out, get OUT!!"

"U, Um Umeko is getting… ENGAGED?" stuttered Tetsu, clearly still in a state of complete shock.

"Yeah!" grinned Umeko, momentarily forgetting her surroundings. "Sen-chan is going to propose to me tonight!"

"Umeko, just because it's Valentine's Day, you don't really think Sen-san is going ask you to marry him?!?" asked Tetsu dubiously.

"I just know he is!" said Umeko firmly, zooming ahead without providing any substantial proof. "Sen-chan and I have been together for over two years now, and tonight, he will propose, and we will live happily ever after!!!"

Umeko punctuated the last part of her speech by flinging her hands out of the water, sending foamy bubbles from the bath flying every where. Tetsu gagged on the white bubbles that came floating down around his face. His coughing accompanied Umeko as she once again began to sing to her feathery friends in the bathtub.

"I… am… getting… engaged todayyyy! I… am… getting… engaged todayyyy!" she crooned buoyantly.

Giving Umeko a slightly disturbed look, Tetsu slowly backed away from the tub. Even after he had shut the bathroom door, he could still hear Umeko's upbeat song as he sprang down the hall toward the DekaBase Command Center.

* * *

"Ahhh, do you guys know where Sen-san is?" asked Tetsu to the backs of Hoji and Jasmine upon entering the Command Center. "WHAT?!? A TUXEDO???"

Tetsu's jaw had dropped as Hoji and Jasmine had spun around to reveal a suit-clad Sen. The tall man was dapperly dressed in a tuxedo, complete with green cummerbund and cufflinks. Hoji and Jasmine wore matching coy grins as they glanced back and forth from Sen to Tetsu.

"Sen-san, you really are proposing to Umeko!" said Testu excitedly. "Wait, how come you never told me?!?"

"You're too much of a hothead," said Jasmine matter-of-factly. "You would have spilled the surprise to Umeko."

"I just ran into Umeko, and she already thinks you will propose tonight," said Tetsu.

"Ahhh, I figured she would suspect something," said Sen sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "But she doesn't know how I am going to pop the question! Now, if you all will excuse me, I am off for my Valentine's Day date with Umeko. I just need the ring… AHHHH!!! WAIT! Where is the ring!?!?"

The group exchanged horrified glances and immediately all fell to the floor, searching for the diamond rock.

* * *

"The ring is missing!!!" said Tetsu in a panic after they had all looked around the entire DekaBase.

"Be cool, Tetsu," urged Hoji. "We'll think of something."

"Yes, we will," agreed Sen, before launching himself into a handstand up against the wall.

**THIS IS SEN-CHAN'S THINKING POSE. **

"I knew that already," interrupted Tetsu tiredly to the voice that always seemed to pop up without fail for every episode they had.

**CAN I CONTINUE NOW?**

"I guess you have to," sighed Tetsu. "Cruger says you're under contract."

**THANK YOU. EHMMM!!! THIS IS SEN-CHAN'S THINKING POSE. IN THIS POSITION, WHAT WILL HE DISCOVER?**

"I've got it!" said Sen happily as he came down from his handstand.

"You know where the ring is?" asked Hoji intently.

"No," replied Sen, souring slightly before a grin brightened his face.

"So, if you don't have a ring, and therefore you can't propose to Umeko tonight," began Jasmine logically. "Why are you still smiling?"

"I'll get that ring," said Sen firmly. "I just need to stall Umeko until it's found. Will you all please help me?"

"Roger!" responded Hoji, Jasmine and Tetsu in unison.

"Good!" thanked Sen gratefully. "Now, here's the plan…" he started as the four friends huddled around the Command Center table.

* * *

"You're late!" said Umeko angrily, forgoing a "hello" to Sen as she yanked open the door to her room, only mere moments after her boyfriend had knocked.

"I'm sorry!" apologized Sen sheepishly. "I couldn't pick out a tuxedo."

"You always use that excuse," pouted Umeko, sticking out her lower lip.

"Will it help you to forgive me if I told you that I have a gift for you?" asked Sen slyly.

"Sen-chan!" exclaimed Umeko happily. "And it's so early in the night, too!!!"

"Umeko, will you except this…" began Sen slowly.

"Yes, YES, YES!!!" shouted Umeko joyfully, clapping her hands together.

"… this rose?" asked Sen as he pulled the pink-pedaled flower from behind his back.

"Oh," was all a puzzled Umeko could make out. "Well, it's beautiful. Thank you, Sen-chan!" she said, rewarding her boyfriend with a kiss on the cheek.

"After you put the flower in some water, we can move on to the next part of the date," said Sen.

* * *

"Sen-san and Umeko have probably moved on to the second part of their date by now," said Hoji as he checked his watch.

"I can't believe Sen left us here to find the ring," said Tetsu.

"He had to leave us to find the ring," explained Jasmine. "He couldn't have left Umeko waiting too much longer, or she would have gotten suspicious."

"We already searched the entire DekaBase once, top to bottom," said Tetsu. "How are we going to possibly find the ring now? Why couldn't the ring have just been good and stayed in its box…" Tetsu stopped as his eyes suddenly grew wide.

"Jasmine!!!" exclaimed Hoji, spinning around to look at his ESP-er teammate.

"The ringbox!!!" the three shouted simultaneously.

* * *

"Sen-chan, you made all this?" asked Umeko delightedly as she starred at the delectable candlelit picnic before her.

"Do you like it?" inquired Sen anxiously. "I made all your favorite foods: miso soup, spicy salmon rolls and…"

"Candy!" cried Umeko happily. "Well, not that you made that part of the meal," she added; her tone growing more reasonable.

"Ah, unfortunately no," smiled Sen apologetically. "But I know it's your favorite."

"Yeah!" grinned Umeko, giving her boyfriend a huge hug. "Oh, Sen-chan! A picnic by the river at sunset. It's so romantic!"

"I know Valentine's Day is your favorite holiday," said Sen. "I wanted to do something special for you."

"Sen-chan is so wonderful," sighed Umeko contently. "I love you."

"I love you, too," replied Sen, kissing the top of her forehead.

"And I hope that we'll be together forever," continued Umeko.

"Me too," again agreed Sen. "Umeko…" he began slowly as he got down on one knee.

"Oh Sen-chan, I just knew it!" squealed Umeko as he heart skipped a beat. "I just knew you were going to ask me!!!"

"Well, I thought it would be rude not to ask you if I could tie my shoelaces before we sat down to eat," replied Sen with a puzzled look on his face. "They've been undone ever since we left the DekaBase. Why? What did you think I was going to ask you?"

"Oh never mind," sighed Umeko. "Tie your laces, and let's eat."

* * *

"Sen-san and Umeko are probably eating at their picnic by now," said Tetsu. "Hurry, Jasmine!"

Outside the DekaBase, Tetsu handed Jasmine the ring box as Hoji also looked on. Jasmine slowly removed one of her black leather gloves. Then, taking a deep breath, Jasmine closed her eyes as she laid her bare hand on the velvet box.

**JASMINE IS AN ESP-ER. **

"You know, I've been a Dekaranger for several years now," responded Jasmine annoyed, her eyes immediately flashing open upon hearing the all-too-familiar, booming voice. "I think my friends know by now that I have psychic powers."

**TRUE, BUT CAN I CONTINUE NOW ANYWAY?**

"He's under contract," said Hoji and Tetsu together in equally peeved tones.

"Fine," grumbled Jasmine as she once again closed her eyes and laid her hand upon the ring box.

**THANK YOU. NOW, WHERE WAS I? OH, YES! JASMINE IS AN ESP-ER. BY CONTACTING AN OBJECT, SHE CAN GATHER LEADS ON A CASE.**

"The ring box was in Swan-san's lab earlier," exclaimed Jasmine as her eyelids flew up. "Sen-san took the diamond out to show her. Meanwhile, he left the box on top of Swan-san's cocoa tray server, but the ring afterward never made it back into the box."

"Let's get to Swan-san's lab now!" urged Hoji.

* * *

"Dinner was delicious," said Umeko as she patted her belly. "Thank you, Sen-chan!"

"Well, I'm glad like it," smiled Sen broadly. "Now, how about one more little surprise?"

"Little surprise?" whispered Umeko excitedly as her eyes lit up.

"There a small box at the bottom of the picnic box, if you would like to get it," continued Sen shyly. "I hope you like the surprise. I sent a long time picking it out."

"Yes, I love…" began Umeko breathlessly as she found the box. "Chocolate truffles?" she said curiously as she pulled the box out of the basket.

"The woman said they were the best candy in all of Japan," said Sen.

"Well, I guess I can never be disappointed by candy," commented Umeko as snuck a glance at her ring finger. "Come on now, let's have some now."

* * *

"Now what are we going to do?" groaned Tetsu. "I can't believe we looked all over Swan-san's lab and on her cocoa tray server, and still, there is no sign of the ring."

"It couldn't have gone that far," reasoned Jasmine as she and the boys walked into the Command Center.

"Maybe if fell into someplace small nearby?" mused Hoji out loud as they walked over to Doggie Cruger's desk.

"What fell into someplace?" asked Cruger as he tried to figure out what his rangers were talking about.

"Someplace where we wouldn't have noticed it," continued Tetsu.

"Hot cocoa's here!" announced Swan-san as she entered the Command Center, carrying the drink serving tray.

"Thank you!" answered Cruger, but the rangers were so busy in thought that they did not reply.

"Someplace small, perhaps?" questioned Jasmine as Swan-san placed the tray on Cruger's desk.

"Small like a..." began Testu.

"I would like a…" started Cruger at the same time as he reached for tray.

"… cup!" said the four simultaneously. "Wait!!! DOGGIE, NO!!!" shouted Hoji, Jasmine and Tetsu together.

* * *

"Sen-chan, this was a wonderful Valentine's Day," said Umeko as they arrived back at the DekaBase. "It was almost perfect."

"I know what you mean," said Sen under his breath as they walked toward the Command Center. "What the…" he stopped startled.

"SEN-SAN!" shouted Cruger, Hoji, Jasmine, Swan-san and Tetsu together. "UMEKO!"

"What is going on?" asked Umeko, cocking her head to the side.

She looked around the room puzzled as her teammates appeared huddled over a bunch of split cocoa cups. Dark liquid poured off Doggie's desk, but Umeko noticed that the group seemed much more concerned about the arrival of her and Sen in the room. And then there was Hoji, who was holding something protectively behind his back.

"Just in time," breathed Hoji, looking at his exhausted-appearing friends surrounding the cocoa cups. "Sen-san…"

Umeko's jaw dropped as she saw Hoji walk up and give Sen a tight hug in the most affectionate display she could recall the blue Dekaranger ever producing.

"Wha..wha.. what are you doing?" gasped Sen as Hoji wrapped his arms around him.

"We found the ring," whispered Hoji into Sen's ear as he pressed the ring into his friend's hand. "It got dropped in a cup of Swan-san's cocoa. We just finished cleaning it when you two walked in."

"Ohhh," drawled Sen in relief.

"Ohhh," drawled Umeko in anger.

"Umeko, what's wrong?" asked Sen, disengaging from Hoji's hug and turning to face his girlfriend.

"Now, I see why you never asked!" shouted Umeko, growing more emotional each moment. "You only put together this romantic, Valentine's Day date as your way of being nice before breaking up with me!"

"HUH?!?" gasped Sen in shocked confusion.

"You want to marry Hoji!!!" wailed Umeko.

"HUH?!?!" gasped everyone in the room.

"I don't think so, baby!" exclaimed Hoji quite definitively as he looked panicked back and forth between Sen and Umeko.

"Come now, Umeko, stop crying," pleaded Sen to his girlfriend, who was now flailing her hands and turning in tiny circles around the Command Center as she wept.

"I thought Sen-chan loved me!" she cried loudly.

"I do love you, Umeko," exclaimed Sen as he grabbed her hands, halting her motion. "I love you more than anyone or anything else in this universe."

"You.. you do?" asked Umeko as her sniffles subsided.

"I do," repeated Sen earnestly as he looked deep into her eyes. "And I was serious before when I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. Now, this was not the way I was planning on doing this tonight, but Umeko, I need to ask you something. Will you marry me?"

"Sen-chan!" gasped Umeko in utter surprise as she saw her boyfriend holding up the pear-shaped, diamond engagement ring. "I… I…I…" she stuttered.

"She's speechless!" smiled Swan-san.

"For once in her life," chuckled Cruger.

"Just say yes!" shouted Hoji, Jasmine and Tetsu in unison.

"Yes, yes, yes!" exclaimed Umeko ecstatically as Sen slipped the ring onto her finger and then proceeded to swing his now fiancée around in elated circles.

"Super cool," grinned Hoji.

"With this mission complete," began Jasmine.

"Sen and Umeko are at last engaged," grinned Tetsu. "We have to call Ban out on the Fire Squad and tell him!"

Sen finally set his future wife back on the ground, though still holding Umeko like he would never let her go. She in return reached up her tippy toes to place kiss after passionate kiss on Sen's lips. Wrapped in each other's arms, the pair in their bliss were oblivious to all the congratulatory clapping and cheering going on around them.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Umeko," said Sen into her ear. "I love you."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Sen-chan," whispered back Umeko. "I love you, too."


End file.
